The present invention relates to x-ray imaging. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to panoramic imaging of the human mouth and similar structures.
X-rays have been used in dentistry to image teeth and parts of the mouth for many years. In general, the process involves generating x-rays and directing the x-rays at the patient's mouth. The x-rays are absorbed and reflected differently by different parts of the mouth (e.g., bone versus tissue). This difference in absorption is used to create an image, such as on film or by using an electronic image sensor. Individual images of specific areas of interest can be generated or, if a wider perspective is desired, a panoramic image can be created. Often, a computer tomography (“CT”) system is used to generate a panoramic image. In a typical dental CT system, the patient sits upright, and the x-ray source and detector are mounted on opposite ends of a gantry that rotates about a vertical axis through the middle of the patient's head. In general, a panoramic image of the jaw depicts the jaw as if it were imaged onto a cylindrical sheet with the axis of the sheet upright, and as if the sheet were then unrolled into a flat form.